Why would anyone who's tasted freedom choose to return to slavery? That's the heartbreaking question at the center of Paul's letter to the Galatians. In this deep exploration of Galatians 4:8-11, we unpack Paul's urgent warning against abandoning justification by faith alone.
Freedom is fragile. The Galatians had been liberated from serving "those which by nature are not gods" only to find themselves slipping back into religious bondage through law-keeping. They were observing "days and months and seasons and years," thinking these religious performances would secure their standing with God. Paul's response? "I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain." These aren't just disappointed words—they're a desperate attempt to pull believers back from a cliff edge.
The core truth we examine is found in Galatians 2:16: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but rather by faith in Jesus Christ." This isn't just theological nitpicking—it's the difference between true gospel freedom and religious slavery. Christ's atonement wasn't merely making salvation possible if we contribute our part; it was an actual, definite salvation applied to those chosen in Him.
Our panel discussion reveals why this matters so deeply. When we understand that salvation is entirely God's work, not dependent on our performance, we're freed from the exhausting treadmill of trying to earn God's favor. As one panel member powerfully notes, "If you are truly born again, you want to please our Heavenly Father"—but that obedience flows from gratitude for salvation already secured, not from attempts to earn it.
Join us as we wrestle with what it means to be "known by God" rather than merely knowing Him, and discover why Joshua's challenge to "choose this day whom you will serve" parallels Paul's concern for believers slipping back into false worship. Your understanding of salvation might never be the same.
Subscribe now and share this episode with someone trapped in performance-based Christianity. The truth really does set us free.
BE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!
